In this article, you’ll find out what lung capacity is and why you need it. You’ll also learn about the benefits of a large lung capacity and how to measure it. Furthermore, this article includes simple exercises to increase your lung capacity and tips for practising your breathing technique. Finally, it explains which foods help to improve lung function.
What is lung capacity and why do we need it?
Lung capacity, also known as lung volume, is, as the name suggests, the capacity of the lungs to hold air. This consists of vital capacity and residual volume. Vital capacity is the amount of air exhaled after taking a very deep breath and then exhaling forcefully. Residual volume is the air remaining after a deep exhalation.
As you get older, your lung capacity will gradually decrease. You need lung capacity to efficiently deliver oxygen and expel carbon dioxide. Furthermore, a large lung capacity helps your muscles last a little longer during a workout.
The benefits of a large lung capacity
- More oxygen to the brain, resulting in a clear and focused mind
- More oxygen to the muscles, resulting in improved physical performance
- Carbon dioxide is expelled more easily
- You feel much fitter
- Improved lung function
- Your respiratory muscles become stronger
- Better breathing
Measuring lung capacity
You can measure your lung capacity by means of a lung test, known as spirometry. A lung test is usually carried out to check whether your lung function is still working properly. A spirometry test is almost exclusively carried out if you have symptoms such as a cough, phlegm or shortness of breath, or if you have been a smoker for a very long time.
To measure your total lung capacity yourself, you need to add up all your lung volumes. These consist of:
- Inspiratory reserve volume
- Tidal volume (normal breathing volume)
- Expiratory reserve volume
- Residual volume
Furthermore, there are a number of tests you can buy yourself; however, these tests do not always provide reliable results. A normal lung capacity for women is around 4.2 litres and for men 5.8 litres.
Increasing lung capacity
It is possible to increase your lung capacity. This can be achieved through physical exercise, but certainly also without it. Below are two exercises you can do every day to increase your lung capacity without physical exercise.
Breathing in and out
Simply by taking a few deep breaths in and out several times a day, you can already improve your lung capacity. Lie on your back with your hand on your stomach and follow these steps:
Step 1: First, breathe out as deeply as possible, so that as little air as possible remains in your lungs.
Step 2: Try to lower your diaphragm and allow your chest to expand. You can do this by relaxing your abdominal muscles and spreading your arms wide.
Step 3: Exhale slowly a few more times. Make sure you exhale evenly.
Step 4: Repeat this several times a day
Hold your breath
You can also train your lung capacity by holding your breath several times a day. Do this as follows:
Step 1: Take a deep breath.
Step 2: Hold your breath for a while – about half the total time you can hold your breath for.
Step 3: Breathe out slowly and evenly.
Step 4: Do this for a few minutes at a time.
Step 5: Repeat this several times a day
Tips for improving your breathing technique
Do you get out of breath easily? If so, you probably aren’t breathing properly. Fortunately, you can do something about this by training your breathing muscles. Keep the following tips in mind when breathing:
- Breathe in and out through your nose rather than through your mouth.
- Breathe in and out from your abdomen rather than from your chest.
- Breathe calmly. This means breathing in slowly and breathing out a few seconds later. So don’t breathe in and out too quickly.
Proper breathing plays an important role in oxygen uptake; it ensures that you take in more oxygen, which is good for your blood.
Abdominal training
Your main breathing muscle is your diaphragm. Training your diaphragm is therefore very important. You can strengthen your diaphragm by:
- Inflate balloons
- Perform the ‘wall sit’. You’ll find a clear explanation of this exercise in the article on isometric exercises.
Foods that help improve your lung function
Diet also affects the condition of your lungs. Eating the following foods regularly will improve your lung function.
- Apples
Apples are rich in vitamins; vitamins A, C and E in particular help to improve lung function. They also help people to give up smoking. They detoxify the lungs and prevent withdrawal symptoms.
- Ginger
Ginger not only helps to cleanse the lungs, but also helps to largely prevent and treat respiratory tract infections.
- Onions
Onions have long been used to promote lung health. They remove toxins, fight infections and also cleanse the lungs.
Conclusion
Because your body carries out metabolic processes, it needs oxygen. Blood ensures that oxygen is transported from the lungs to the cells. In addition, your lungs ensure that carbon dioxide is removed from your body.
Lung capacity is the same as lung volume and is simply the capacity of your lungs. Having a large lung capacity has a number of benefits, such as improved lung function and enhanced physical performance. As you get older, this capacity will gradually decrease.
You can measure your lung capacity. A proper, official lung test is called spirometry, but it isn’t carried out lightly. The average for men is around 5.8 litres and for women 4.2 litres.
It is possible to increase your lung capacity; you can do this in several ways, such as by breathing in and out or by holding your breath. This can easily be done at home. If you get out of breath quickly, there’s a good chance you’re not breathing correctly. The most important breathing muscle is your diaphragm. When breathing, it is important to breathe in through your nose rather than your mouth, and to breathe in and out using your abdomen rather than your chest.
There are also a number of foods that can help improve your lung function; apples, ginger and onions, in particular, can be beneficial.